Bike parking facilities are being used by local businesses to advertise their services. Bikes fitted with advertising boards are being parked in and around Melbourne’s CBD. Businesses frustrated with the lack of permits available for portable advertising boards are resorting to placing boards on bikes and parking them in bike racks in high pedestrian traffic areas.

The City of Melbourne only issues one permit per building for portable advertising boards leaving many businesses frustrated as they have no way to advertise their presence.

It poses some interesting questions, if a bike is parked legally in a bike parking rack, does it matter what is attached to it and are passers-by going to realise that it is advertising a shop within the building?